How is the college preparing for a return to online exams?

In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the RACGP was forced to postpone the Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) and the Key Feature Problem (KFP) exam due to major technical issues
 
In the weeks and months that followed, the college has reportedly undertaken a ‘rigorous’ development process as it strives to once again conduct written exams online and create a ‘seamless’ experience for Fellowship candidates.
 
An essential stage of this process will include a trial run of the new AssessGP platform, and the college is hoping to attract at least 1000 members to take part in the 45-minute test.
 
Dr Gary Butler, RACGP National Clinical Lead for Assessments, spoke with newsGP to explain what members need to know about the trial, how to register to take part, and why it is so important.
 
Why is the RACGP doing this software trial?
The college has undertaken a rigorous procurement and software development process that forms part of our journey towards returning to the online delivery of written exams.
 
We’re now working through a series of progressive trials to put the new online system through its paces. The trials form part of our sequential software testing process, which underpins quality assurance and therefore the successful delivery of future online assessments.
 
The member trial is the biggest trial we’ve run to date. It will help us assess how candidates interact with the platform and also perform a load test, by putting the platform under stress with more than 1000 people taking a test at a similar time.
 
Why should members participate in the trial?
We’d like our members to partner with us to put the platform through its paces, but also to get their feedback as they explore aspects of the new system.
 
By partnering with us to test these features and provide feedback, members are helping to optimise the experience for future exam candidates. This trial presents a real opportunity for members to influence the future of online assessments at the RACGP.
 
If members register for the trial, what do they need to do?
We are conscious of the increasing the demands we are all experiencing delivering general practice in these times, so we are asking members to join us for just 45 minutes to invest in the ongoing platform development.
 
The member trial involves working through a series of exam questions in the new platform, answering the questions, and testing all functions of the platform.
 
By registering, you’ll be allocated a trial start time between 7 pm and 7:30 pm (AEST) on Tuesday 5 April. Once logged into the system, participants will have 45 minutes to complete the test.
 
In order for the trial to function properly, members will need to ensure that they start their test at the allocated start time.
 
When is the cut off for registration?
Registration for the event will close at 3 pm (AEDT) on 1 April.
 
Who is eligible to participate?
The trial is open to all RACGP members. We value everyone’s input and opinion, from those who have never experienced online assessment to those who can compare and offer insights as to how the new platform compares to our previous platform.
 
For those who are yet to sit their exams, the member trial is an opportunity to get a sneak peek of what the future exam experience may be like, and to influence the future look, feel, and user experience of the new system.
 
We’d like to encourage everyone in our member base to help make up a diverse cohort of ‘candidates’ and if the date and time permits, register for the trial.
 
What number of participants are you hoping for?
We hope 1000 or more members will register and join with us to test the new online platform.
 
Registrations are capped to 1500 participants and trial spots are filling fast.
 
More information and frequently asked questions regarding the trial can be found on the RACGP website.
 
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AKT AssessGP COVID-19 KFP online exams